Wheel Sport Inc., the Spokane-based bicycle sales and service chain, has leased 7,700 square feet of floor space in the Sterling Square retail center on the South Hill, where it plans to open its fourth and largest shop, says Mic Woodruff, Wheel Sport's general manager.

The shop will be located at 3000 S. Grand Blvd., about 1.6 miles east of the Wheel Sport South shop, also on the South Hill, at 2820 E. 29th, Woodruff says.

Wheel Sport plans to open the Sterling Square store in March, he says.

"We're going to have two shops on the South Hill for the time being," Woodruff says.

The Sterling Square shop will be about 1,500 square feet larger than the existing South Hill shop, which currently is the largest outlet in the chain, Woodruff says.

The company operates two other stores, Wheel Sport Central, at 1711 N. Division on the North Side, and Wheel Sport East, at 606 N. Sullivan in Spokane Valley.

Each store has eight employees during the peak season. "It fluctuates in the off season," Woodruff says.

The new store will be stocked with a large inventory of bikes and accessories to appeal to all levels of bicyclists, from beginners to advanced competitors, he says.

"We try to follow a business model that's nonexclusionary with bikes ranging from under $200 for kids to upper-end road bikes," Woodruff says.

Colin Conway and Ron Horton, both of Spokane-based commercial real estate brokerage Kiemle & Hagood Co., handled the lease.

Wheel Sport was established at its central location in 1972. Terry Solinsky, the company's president, bought that store in 1985 and later opened the additional outlets. Spokane has become increasingly bicycle friendly since then, especially in recent years, with events such as the annual family-oriented SpokeFest ride and local triathlons gaining in popularity, Woodruff says.